


The Best Day (With You)

by Aloja



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Vernon Boyd & Erica Reyes, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Werewolves, Cute, Erica and boyd are engaged, M/M, Mention of Death, Mutual Pining, No Smut, graveyard, moping, sterek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 07:07:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8240582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aloja/pseuds/Aloja
Summary: Derek remembered going back to school after the accident, broken and miserable. No one could handle his massive aura of sadness, and everyone kept their distance from the tragedy kid. Even when they talked to him, he’d given them no reason to keep doing it, he pushed everyone away because he had no strength to be around other people. He was just empty.He could recall with ease the day that had all changed, and it was all thanks to one Stiles Stilinski.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this story is a little bit different from what I prefer/am used to writing.  
> It doesn't have a 'complicated and clever' plot, but the graveyard idea has been hunting me and I just needed to get it out of my system. I also sometimes need stories that aren't heavy on the events so I figured there must be others who might be in the mood for that as well, I really hope you enjoy this when your brain needs something simple and 'hopefully' cute. 
> 
> I want to thank [thehyacinthgirl](/users/thehyacinthgirl) and [withinmelove](/users/withinmelove) for being my beta readers, thank you so much guys!

Derek remembered going back to school after the accident, broken and miserable. No one could handle his massive aura of sadness, and everyone kept their distance from the tragedy kid. Even when they talked to him, he’d given them no reason to keep doing it, he pushed everyone away because he had no strength to be around other people. He was just empty.

He could recall with ease the day that had all changed.

Derek was in the nurse’s office. He could always get a free pass out of class after what had happened to him; after all no one wanted to say no to the only survivor.

He’d spent a good fifteen minutes in peace until he heard loud footfalls, people were running and freaking out- and then the door was kicked open and five guys were in there. Dirty, disheveled Stiles Stilinski was one of them.

No one paid him much attention, they were all fussing over their injured friend, who apparently got hurt during lacrosse practice. The nurse reassured them he was fine, wrapped a bandage around his head and told them to leave him alone to rest.

Soon enough they were all gone except for Scott, who Derek later discovered was Stiles’ childhood friend, and who was sleeping on the nurse’s bed, and Stiles himself, who took the chair beside him.

Derek was wearing a hoodie that covered his earphones, an extra effort to be invisible and unapproachable.

“So what are you doing here?” Stiles had asked him, and Derek was so taken aback that he turned around to look at him to make sure he was the person being addressed, Stiles’ expectant eyes said he was.

The conversation he had with that kid was so special; he still remembered it, probably too well.

Derek shrugged, hoping his nonchalance would grant him a way out of this conversation like it always had.

“No way. They can’t be just letting you hang around? What kind of power do you have over them?” Stiles asked excitedly. It was annoying.

It took Derek a few seconds to come up with his next answer; this kid was obviously more than your average stranger, so he needed to shut him up for good, “Just the power of making people not wanting you to cry over your burned-to-crisps family.” He said casually.

“Oh…”

And there it was, he wasn’t going to talk anymore. Maybe mumble an apology but no more of that expecting answers bullshit. Derek was aware that he was exploiting his tragedy, but he earned it.

“Sorry about that.” Stiles said, looking down, obviously not knowing what to do with himself, “You dived right in there, huh?”

Surely he didn’t expect an answer from Derek, right? Because he was supposed to shut up.

Everyone always shuts up.

“Guess I should be playing the dead mom card too, hmm.” He rubbed his chin like he was considering it, “Guess not, I really don’t wanna remember that all the time if I’m being honest. Ya know?”

Okay, Derek didn’t see this coming, and he was a little intrigued, though not enough to talk.

“But what do you do here? Just hang around? Don’t you get bored?” Stiles asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Derek sighed loudly, before he took his hoodie off, showing his earphones. He wasn’t listening to anything right now, obviously, but they were an extra sign to stop people from initiating any conversations with him.

“What are you listening to?”

Derek looked down on his phone, checking the last song he listened to, and it was such a cliché, no way was he going to tell this kid his answer.

But that kid was stubborn; he poked his little nosy head into his space, looking at his phone screen, and Derek was taken aback by how close Stiles was. He was staring at his buzz shaved head. Too close.

Stiles looked up at him in confusion, a pucker between his brows, “Wait, Taylor Swift?”

Derek sighed internally, here it was.

“But I don’t know this song, hmm.” He was sitting back on his chair now.

Wait, that was it? No snarky comments?

“Can I listen to it? It’s kinda boring in here. No offence, but your silence isn’t a lot of fun, buddy.”

Derek thought it was a pretty good idea, maybe shoving the earphones at this boy would finally get him to shut up, although admittedly, he didn’t want that now as badly as he did a few minutes ago.

He handed him the earphones, and watched Stiles’ long fingers press play after he placed them on his ears.

This was so embarrassing. Why did he have to listen to this song here and now?

He couldn’t help but look at Stiles’ face, waiting for a reaction, and thankfully, Stiles was listening with all his focus. Like his life depended on it.

It was hard not to start counting all the moles on his face.

It took about half a minute for the expressions on Stiles’ face to soften noticeably, he gave a warm smile, like he found something adorable, but then the frown was back on his face.

The whole process was fascinating. At some point, Derek thought he saw Stiles’ eyes glisten, he wasn’t sure if it was tears.

When he took the earphones off, he stayed quiet for a minute, holding them in his hands with a strange look on his face.

Derek was lost, he thought that maybe he should say something, he scraped in his mind for words but he came up empty. He was too used to silence to think of appropriate non-assholish words.

“ _You’re the prettiest lady in the whole wide world_ ,” Stiles finally uttered, chuckling then biting at his finger.

Derek nodded, knowing why Stiles picked those exact lyrics. He thought about his mother, just like Derek thought of his family when he listened to this song. It fit their situations.

“ _Now I know why all the trees change in the fall_.” He said, thankful he was able to remember the lines, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Stiles smiled at that and handed him back his phone and earphones, “I don’t know, man. But I don’t think you should do this all the time. I mean, maybe you don’t.” Stiles shrugged, wetting his lips, “But I’ve seen you around, I guess. Sorry, not to seem like a creep, but you’re always alone, just generally moping, pushing people away.” He was looking at Derek now, for a sign that he stepped over the line, but Derek was just frowning, and that probably was the usual face Stiles saw.

“Maybe I’m just overanalyzing things, but your mom wouldn’t want you to gloom around the school and wallow in sadness.” He pressed his lips in a thin line, before flailing both of his hands like he was struggling to express his opinion, “I mean, hey, of course you’re sad. But that’s not the way your mom would want you to be… or your dad, they wouldn’t want you to be alone. Not that I knew them, but I’m pretty sure no one wants their loved ones to just be lonely. Lonely and sad. And you know how to stop being alone, you’re actually really good looking,” Stiles laughed nervously, rubbing at the back of his neck “as soon as you open up to people, these assholes will crown you as their king.”

Derek’s shoulders gave a desperate shake, “Maybe I don’t want to be their king.”

“Yeah, I totally understand.” Stiles said, linking his fingers behind his neck, “so boring and lame. But you don’t have to be that. You can be whatever.”

“I just…” Derek let out air through his nose, “it’s too much effort.”

“What are you talking about? Not asking for the world here, dude!” Stiles put a hand over Derek’s shoulder, “just smile at people, you know? Thank that blonde cutie when she hands you notes for class! Say hi to people, just…” Stiles pointed to all of him now, “stop all this dark aura.”

Derek looked down on himself, following Stiles’ finger, and laughed. He could see what Stiles was saying, but he just wasn’t interested enough in the outcome to follow through. He made sense, he actually talked to Derek about this, no dodging and no bullshit. He likely was right, if his parents were looking down on him now, they’d be saddened by the state their son was in.

Alright, maybe he could manage a smile and a thank you, but he wasn’t promising anything.

He heard a whine, and when he turned to see, Scott was waking up, looking in pain, Stiles jumped at the sound, and in a second he was right there next to him, “Hey there buddy, feeling better?”

Derek looked at them for a second, and he saw a connection. Stiles was genuinely worried about his friend, and his friend, in return, was trying so hard to reassure him he was okay. Like he himself didn’t need the attention.

It was something he missed, something special.

But also something scary, a couple of years ago, these connections were sparkling all around him, and it hurt so much to lose them - to suddenly find himself swimming in cold, dark water, losing every sense and every emotion along the way. He craved the feeling, but wasn’t sure he was ready enough to accept it again.

And even if he did, with who? Who could he start a connection with, one as true and pure as the ones he shared with his own blood?

He stood up quietly, and left the room.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

White orchids have become a cause for a conflict of feelings. Year after year, the image of them would imprint itself deeper into Stiles’ head; linking the flowers to his mother.

He mostly saw them when he was the one buying them, and he only bought them for her, so that was okay. But when he saw them in other places, his heart would skip a beat faster and the image of his dead mother would pop into his head. Experiencing that was so far from nice.

Stiles thought about getting her other kinds of flowers, just so he wouldn’t associate her with orchids. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing. He just didn’t appreciate the panicky reaction he got upon seeing them, but white orchids were her favorite flowers, so white orchids it was.

He was kneeling in front of her tombstone, staring at the letters of her name and fighting back tears. After all these years, the pain of losing her was still hellish.

_LOVING MOTHER AND WIFE._

He wished, like every time, that his dad had been more creative and thoughtful, that he had picked words more special than these ones. They were simple, and they didn’t do her justice.

The orchids fell from where he had placed them; standing against the stone, and he had to rub his eyes to wipe away the tears.

“I can’t…I just can’t.” A breaking voice was in his earshot, and Stiles looked up, thankful for the distraction, and his eyes searched where it came from.

“I do realize I should be fine with it. That’s what I told her anyway, but I’m not! I’m not fine! I don’t want to live alone. It’s…It’s just like losing you all over again.”

The guy was right in front of him, facing another grave, he was dressed all in black, leather jacket and all. He sounded helpless, and Stiles thought that his tone would be similar to his own if he’d just grow up and gather his courage to talk to his own mom, audibly.

“Okay, that was a little overdramatic. She’s not dying.” He let out a bitter laugh, “I can’t keep her with me forever.”

Stiles saw the guy’s shoulders give a desperate shrug. He couldn’t help but feel that this guy was oozing a strange familiarity, like he knew him, or at least seen him talk before. However there was no way of telling, unless he could make him turn around, and Stiles’ face was probably three shades redder than he’d like for it to be seen. So scratch that.

“Boyd will make her very happy. I wish you could meet him…I wish you could meet Erica, mom.”

 _Mom_. That made Stiles let out a breath.

The man turned around, sensing his movement, and without even realizing what he was doing, Stiles was ducking; hiding behind his mother’s tombstone like he used to hide behind her legs when he was younger.

He held his breath in for a few seconds before he looked up again, and the mysterious guy was back to what he was doing, talking to his mother.

“I still don’t know what to get them for the housewarming. I probably should distract myself with that so I won’t break down and beg her not to move out, cause you know,” his voice was breaking, yet he tried for a laugh, “that’s something I’d do.”

There was silence then, the guy lowered himself to touch the tombstone in front of him gently, and Stiles’ eyes were watery again, he found himself mirroring his action.

Stiles felt the vibration in his pocket, right before his phone give a frightening shriek that shot adrenaline in his body. He stood up and turned around immediately, answering as he shut his eyes hard, he rubbed his brows in embarrassment.

“Ughhh, hi Dad.” He said nervously; he could feel the guy’s gaze on him. Maybe he wouldn’t know Stiles has been there for a while, he could’ve just walked in right now. Right? There was no way he could tell that Stiles’ was eavesdropping on his conversation with his dead mother. No.

His dad was out of the country for a vacation with Melissa, and was worried about him. He was also getting eaten by guilt about the fact that his trip just happened to be at the same time as his wife’s death anniversary.

“Where are you? Scott said you told him not to come over! Are you okay?”

“Dad, seriously? I’m fine!” Stiles whispered, irritated.

“Then why wouldn’t you let Scott visit you?”

“Because! Scott has his life. I don’t need him babysitting me. I’m fine.” It was getting stupid how everyone thought that in this one week, every year, they had to dote and take care of him. Maybe it was true, but he just didn’t like admitting it.

“You know what I mean, son.” John said, his voice exhausted.

“Yeah I know what you mean, it’s mom’s anniversary; I must be devastated! Well, I’m not. I’m fine. Are we done having this conversation? Cause I don’t wanna keep having it every year.”

“Stiles…”

“Please…” he pleaded in return, “I just want you to have a good time, okay? Have fun! Go take some stupid tourist pictures with Melissa. Just stop worrying about me, god! Do you have a son complex or something? Gah! You’re suffocating me.”

“A son complex? There’s no such thing. You just made that up, didn’t you?”

“I did not make that up! It exists and it’s supported by psychological research, okay?” He was lying through his teeth, and he knew that his dad knew that as well, but it never stopped him, “And don’t worry, we’ll get you treated for that, mmkay?”

“Whatever you say, kid.” his father laughed, and Stiles smiled at the phone.

“Just…take care of yourself. Okay? Nothing wrong with needing your friends’ support. You know that, right?” his voice now was serious, so Stiles couldn’t just joke it off like he wished he could.

“I know. If I need anything I’ll call Scott.” He paused for a second, “I mean, he’s seen me piss myself, I’m not ashamed to ask for his help.”

It was at this second that it dawned on him that the guy was probably listening to him talking. He turned around to face him to find that mystery man was overwhelmingly handsome, and his eyes fell heavily on Stiles’. The man didn’t look away, his eyes were warm, understanding and overwhelming with emotion, and again, they were familiar.

After a moment, Stiles shifted uncomfortably and avoided his gaze, looking down on the ground, “Alright dad, I gotta go, love you.”

His fingers fiddled nervously on his phone as he looked back up again, and the guy still had his eyes on him, like he expected him to come closer, to say hello. Stiles didn’t have it in him to do that, so he just waved a hand at him and forced a smile, and somehow that beckoned the guy to come closer, giving his mother’s grave one last look.

“Derek Hale.” He reached a hand, his voice deep and calm.

Oh, so he was right. He knew this guy. No wonder he didn’t recognize him though, he looked different. “Stiles Stilinski. I think we were in school together?” He didn’t really need to ask, but he didn’t want to seem too interested. Childish; Scott might argue.

Derek knitted his eyebrows in recognition, and for a second he looked like he was about to jolt out of there, “Oh…yes.”

Stiles remembered talking to the guy back in the day, but he didn’t understand why he’d have this reaction, like Stiles hurt him or something.

Did Stiles hurt him? He couldn’t really remember.

“It’s your mom’s anniversary?” Derek asked, glancing at the white orchids.

“Yeah, yes…” Stiles gulped.

“Sorry, but I couldn’t help but overhear.” Derek looked sheepish.

“It’s fine… I mean, I overheard too.”

Derek tightened his lips in confusion, raising his finger, “but…I looked.”

“I was bending so you probably couldn’t see me behind the tombstone.” Stiles bit his lip, and Derek looked at him with a strange look on his face, it made him freak out “Sorry, promise I wasn’t tryin’ be creepy. It just…happened?”

Derek looked back at Stiles’ mother’s tombstone, trying to hide a smile; probably at Stiles’ over-reacting, he had a tendency and a long history of doing that.

“So you heard that pathetic shit then?” Derek asked, still not looking at him.

“I didn’t hear anything that was pathetic.”

At that, Derek looked at him again, “I thought…”

“I heard what you said, yeah. But it wasn’t pathetic. At least I don’t think so.” Stiles shrugged, “Our things don’t have to make sense to other people. You know? I bet Scott doesn’t understand why I’d keep him away from me at this time, Scott is my friend by the way, you remember him?” Derek nodded, and Stiles continued, “And maybe even I don’t really fully understand it. I just know that I don’t wanna be this annoying burden every year. I wanna feel like I grew out of this, you know?”

Derek nodded at that again, although he looked taken aback by Stiles’ deep answer.

“I’m sorry, god! I get carried away sometimes.”

“No, no.” Derek said quickly, “I like it.” He gulped once he heard the words that left his mouth, blushing, and he corrected “no, I just… I mean. I like what you said. It makes sense.” He scratched at his jaw.

Stiles laughed, “Well, yeah! I’ve been known for being wise! Way back in high school. Don’t you remember?”

Derek gave a small smile, “Yeah, wise.” He said, “You were always trying to spit some wisdom, even though you clearly had none.”

Stiles let out a loud laugh at that, “What the hell, man? What did I say to you to make you think this way? I don’t even remember talking to you that much! Stop the hate!”

Derek smiled, but he looked hurt by his words for some reason, “Yeah, no. I don’t know, you just don’t give that impression.”

“I’ll have you know, I’m a pretty wise guy!”

“Sure,” Derek smiled as he glanced behind his shoulder, worry creeping up on his face “Am I interrupting?”

“No.” Stiles answered, smiling, “It’s actually not her anniversary today. It’s in three days, but I usually come around a few times in the week of her anniversary.”

“Oh. I just…come around sometimes.” Derek felt obligated to share.

“Yeah, I had some free time today so I figured why not, I also wanted to catch a movie later…but it’s in a few hours. So I’ll probably just hang around.”

“Maybe I could buy you a drink?” Derek asked.

Stiles blinked, he had to look at Derek’s face- his blank face, to try and find anything that would help him figure out if that was a date drink, or a sorry-our-mothers-are-dead drink. Derek’s face offered no help, and Stiles didn’t mind either way, so he decided to just go with the flow, “Yeah, sure!”

“Great.” he motioned them toward the gate, “There’s a bar just around the corner.”

Stiles walked behind him, and he couldn’t help but stare at his skinny jeans and how perfectly they carried his ass. It was very inappropriate; he was in a fucking cemetery! And he couldn’t help but think about the idea that his mom was watching him right now, or maybe Derek’s mom, or any mom for that matter.

He practically ripped his eyes off the black jeans to look up, Derek’s leather jacket was a good sight. He didn’t want to risk losing control of his sight again by looking anywhere near Derek’s ass, that meant not looking where he was going, which evidently wasn’t a good idea, because the next thing he knew, he lost his balance, tripping over something.

He gasped, flailing his hands in the air and trying to grasp into something, but they came up empty, and then he was face down on the ground.

He heard his teeth clank hard, and the pain of his chin colliding with the dirt welled up tears in his eyes. He scraped his palms trying to catch himself, and his knees throbbed. “Fuck.” He muttered, too embarrassed and hurt to even try to look up.

“Stiles, are you okay? Can you get up? Shit.”

Stiles lifted his head to look at him, but he glanced red spots on the ground, his chin was bleeding. “Shit, shit. God.” He tried pushing himself up, it wasn’t too painful but he faked struggling for some reason, the embarrassment of it all making him act in a nonsensical way, “Yes, yes, I can get up. It’s not that bad. I think I just skinned my knees,” He looked up at Derek, who was looking at him with eyes full of concern, specifically, under his lips, which made him swallow, “Well, and my chin, of course.” He flailed his hands, pointing them at the blood stained fabric.

Derek extended a hand to Stiles to help him up, which Stiles took appreciatively, cursing when he felt shooting pain in his knees as he stood straight.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Stiles didn’t know what to do, he was so humiliated, he’d usually get a different reaction, people laughing, and then he’d laugh at himself too and the whole thing would pass. But he didn’t know how to react now; Derek didn’t as much as smile, he didn’t find him falling so comically like a clown amusing, and he had no idea why.

He was sure if he saw himself fall, he would definitely laugh—and oh… Derek was still holding his hand.

Stiles felt his heart beat faster, and he wasn’t sure if it was due to the rush of adrenaline after his epic fail, or if it was because of the hellishly handsome man holding his hand. He looked up to see his face and Derek’s mighty eyebrows were knitted in a frown.

It wasn’t clear if he was worried, or maybe mad at him? Was he embarrassed to be seen with a clown? That seemed like an unreasonable possibility but Stiles’ anxious brain tried convincing him otherwise.

To make things worse, Derek didn’t seem to be noticing that he was holding Stiles’ hand. He didn’t seem to react to Stiles staring at his face either.

Stiles cleared his throat, and to that Derek’s expression changed to a questioning one, “My hand?” Stiles reminded.

Derek pulled his hand away fast, as if he was burned “Sorry,” He muttered.

“It’s alright! Thanks.” Stiles found himself saying, and he realized he had no idea what he was thanking Derek for, but he supplied quickly, “for not laughing at me, I guess.” He looked sheepish, “even though I wouldn’t mind, really. I mean, I’m clumsy by nature and I always put myself in these kind of situations.”

Derek’s expression softened into a smile, “Yeah, I remember that.”

The smile was nice; adorable bunny teeth and full of warmth. Stiles just wished it wasn’t over his dark past that was filled with falling all over the place and other embarrassing memories.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Derek said, he handed Stiles a tissue and motioned him to walk in front of him this time. Stiles hoped Derek didn’t put two and two together and figure out that he tripped over staring at his ass. He probably didn’t; but that was a horrifying idea and his brain kept tormenting him with it.

After a short walk, Stiles was easily able to spot the bar, he remembered drinking once in there with some of his friends after a funeral.

Derek seemed to know the bartender, because he leaned over and said something to him.

The cute bartender disappeared for a few moments and then came back with a first-aid kit. Goddammit Derek Thoughtful Hale.

Stiles went to the bathroom first, cleaning the blood from his face, the cut wasn’t actually that bad. His palms were a bit skinned, and he couldn’t help but check out his knees too since his pants were tinted red, they were the worst of all, they were grazed and bloody and Stiles was pretty sure they were going to bruise.

He walked out and found Derek sitting by a table over the wall. The bar was almost empty, except for three guys that sat over on the stools and were chatting with the bartender. Which was good, Stiles wasn’t particularly in the mood for people and noise.

He slid into the bench on the other side of Derek, who was eyeing the opened kit like he was deciding what to do, and then looked over at Stiles, he raised his eyebrows, “Oh, thank god. The blood was all over your chin I thought you might need stitches.”

Stiles laughed, “Nah, just a normal day in the life of Stiles Stilinski. This is nothing, I’ve got the scars to prove it.”

Derek smiled, no teeth this time, which Stiles liked, but a lot less than the toothy smile.

That one was his best smile. He watched as Derek stared down at the kit, lips tight, and then pushed it towards Stiles, “You should probably get them cleaned and put some band aids.”

Stiles was 101% sure that Derek meant to clean out the cut himself, and he thought maybe the man’s few minutes of intense staring meant hesitation.

“I don’t think I can see the one on my chin, so maybe you could do it for me?”

Derek’s eyes lit up at that, and he slid closer on the bench and pulled some cleaning wipes out, tearing one open and gently brushing it against Stiles’ cut.

He hissed and closed his eyes, and Derek murmured a “Sorry,” as he wiped it again. Derek put the smallest nude Band-Aid on it, looking pleased with himself, “You can barely notice it!”

“Thanks,” Stiles said, and he pulled his knees up but then just stared at them, “Well, the band aids will just keep peeling off of my knees, so I guess there’s no need for that?” he said in a way that was more of a question.

“I guess,” Derek said, looking up as the bartender put two drinks in front of them and asked Stiles to keep his feet off the chairs.“Just clean them then.”

While Stiles was wiping them down, Derek sipped at his drink, “So, what have you been up to?”

“Ah, well. Nothing super exciting. I just graduated college last semester and I still haven’t found a job, one that wasn’t minimum wage at least.” He hissed as he wiped down at one of the deeper cuts. “What about you?”

“Ah, I’m working at the family’s company. Peter, my uncle, wants me to run it someday.”

“Will you?” Stiles asked, pulling the wipes in a pile as he looked at Derek.

“No,” Derek shrugged, taking another sip. “It’s not really something I want to do, and I hardly think I’ll change my mind later on. But that’s what he keeps saying.”

“Yeah, people love assuming to know how you’ll be thinking in a few years, you’ll want kids, you’ll wish you’d done something! Everyone suddenly knows what you want more than you do.”

The bartender was there again, taking his kit and the pile of trash Stiles had gathered into a corner, to which Stiles objected, insisting he took them to the trash himself. “I’ve seen your knees, just sit down. There aren’t many customers anyway.”

“Thanks, buddy.” Derek told him, and the bartender flashed him a smile. God, cute dimples. Stiles looked between the two guys and it pained him to see just how oblivious Derek was.

The bartender clearly liked him. But again, who wouldn’t?

“He likes you,” he pointed out, wrapping his hands around his glass, “You know that, right?”

“What?” Derek asked, horrified, “Who, Danny? No!”

“Yes.” Stiles smirked, raising his glass to his lips, “Wait, you came out, right?”

“Yeah,” Derek said, eyes lost as he followed the bartender’s movement, “he definitely does not like me. Not in that way.”

“Do you not like him?”

“Not in that way!” Derek repeated, frustrated, “No. Why’d you have to tell me?”

“I get you. Ignorance is a blessing. Sorry, thought you might actually feel the same way and I’d be doing you a favor. You know, to pay you back for saving me.” He said, pointing at the band aid on his chin and grinning.

Derek looked down at his glass, and Stiles bit at his lip. Wait. What if this was a date? Did he just tell his date he tried to do him a favor by hooking him up with someone else? But it surely wasn’t that serious. Derek was probably having a crisis over the fact that his friend likes-likes him.

Oh boy. Didn’t Stiles ever learn when to shut up? Evidently not.

“So,” Stiles tried to scrape in his mind for anything he could say to break the silence and put Derek out of his misery, “Who’s moving out of your apartment?”

“Oh, that.” Derek looked hesitant to answer, “Erica, she was with us in high school.”

“Curly blonde hair? Yeah, I remember her. How is she doing?” Stiles asked enthusiastically, he wanted to know, because he just loved keeping up with his high school classmates and how successful they’ve become, to inspire him and make him hate himself at the same time.

“Oh, she’s fine. She’s engaged, and she’s moving out to live with her fiancé.” His cheeks were a little pink, like he was embarrassed “We’ve been roommates for ages, I’m just not used to living alone. That’s what the pathetic line was about.”

“That’s understandable.” Stiles nodded, “Do you like her fiancé?”

“Yeah,” Derek answered, “Boyd is great. He’s the best, and he loves her so much, I’ve never seen anything like it. Which makes the whole thing a lot better and a lot worse.”

“How so?” Stiles knitted his eyebrows.

“Well, better because I know she’s opening a new, better and happier chapter in her life. Worse, because I can’t be reasonably bitter about it!”

Stiles laughed, banging the table with his fist.

“Glad you find my misery so amusing,” Derek said, but he was smiling.

“Sorry, sorry.”

There was silence again, and the bartender—Danny, came over and replaced their beers. Stiles noticed how Derek avoided looking at him, and he bit his cheek, he really shouldn’t have pointed it out.

“So, how’s Scott?” Derek asked then, surprising Stiles, but he grinned nonetheless; he loved talking and bragging about his best friend, “He’s great! He’s studying to be a vet and he’s also helping out at the clinic, they’ve already offered him a job for when he graduates, that’s how awesome he is!”

“Oh,” Derek nodded, looking like he wanted to say something.

“We’re not roommates,” Stiles offered, “Our apartments aren’t that far away though, so that’s great! And I absolutely adore his girlfriend, she’s the best.”

“It is great when your best friends’ lovers are nice people.” Derek agreed.

“Cheers,” Stiles raised his glass, “to our very happy, in-relationship-best-friends.”

“I’ll drink to that.” he clinked their glasses together, smiling.

Derek didn’t say anything after that, and Stiles didn’t know what to say either, so he pulled out his phone, remembering his previous conversation with his dad and googling stuff frantically.

“God, please don’t let dad search this…” He murmured, and that seemed to catch Derek’s attention.

Stiles hesitated for a second, because this wasn’t something he was proud of and there was no reason for sharing it, but might as well feed those curious, beautiful green eyes. “I told my dad a son complex existed…” He started, but he gave up explaining mid sentence and showed Derek his phone screen. “Look at the results!”

Derek swiped down at the phone, reading all the different results, which weren’t really that different.

“I tried every keyword there is but it’s always the same results! Look at that,” his voice was high pitched, “fucking Oedipus! Elektra complex and Freud and all that sexual conflict shit!”

Derek seemed amused, yet he said between his teeth, “That is bad.” He then threw a hand over the bench, scoffing “I hope your dad doesn’t search it, or you might have an awkward conversation.”

Stiles laughed, kicking Derek’s leg under the table playfully, and then he almost apologized, because god, he just met the guy after so many years apart, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of Derek’s mouth, so it probably was okay.

His smile was beautiful, Stiles found himself thinking. He didn’t think he saw it before, back in high school, because he would’ve remembered a smile that charming. It wasn’t the first time today he caught himself admiring it, and that said something.

“You’re smiling more often now.” He couldn’t help but remark.

It seemed he caught Derek off guard, because he stiffened up and shrugged, “Well, I don’t know, maybe high school wasn’t really the best time in my life.”

“Oh,” Stiles said, biting the inside of his lower lip, he hit something because Derek’s entire posture changed. The whole atmosphere turned uncomfortable.

Derek pinched his eyebrows as he started busying himself with his phone, and Stiles didn’t like that. He wanted to talk to him more, he was really having fun, but how was he supposed to fix the mood? He didn’t know the first thing about handling Derek Hale.

He wanted to invite him along to watch a movie, but this wasn’t the right time for anything unless the response he sought was rejection.

“Do you remember I once gave you a song to listen to?” Derek asked, taking him by surprise.

Stiles’ eyebrows shot up, “A song?”

Derek tapped on the table with his fingers, like he was running out of patience with Stiles, which terrified him, because he remembered something about a song, but it was vague.

“Umm, how should I say this?” he rubbed his chin, considering “I have the shittiest memory on the face of the planet?”

“Oh.” Derek said, trying but failing to hide his disappointment.

“I remember something about a song though, just…not everything else.” Stiles knew he wasn’t being helpful, but he said anyway. “What was it though, I mean, remind me please?”

“It’s nothing, never mind.” Derek said, and held his phone up to check the time, “I probably should go now.” He said, already getting up.

“Do you have somewhere to be?” Stiles asked, realizing how stupid his question was. Derek would say yes no matter what the truth was. It was clear he lost interest in spending any more time with him.

“No. I just…” and he paused, like he didn’t know what reason to offer. “I think I drank enough, I don’t want to get a headache tomorrow.”

“Oh, leaving already?” the bartender said as he approached them, “Come on, Derek! You should stay a little bit longer. I always tell you how good the crowd is at midnight! Now it’s just… sad mourning people coming from the cemetery.” He shrugged, and Derek pointed his head to Stiles’ direction, his lips a thin line and his eyes wide with frustration.

“Oh, sorry.” Danny said to Stiles, “that was inconsiderate.”

“No, it’s fine. I mean, it’s true but it isn’t offensive. Don’t worry.” Stiles waved him off.

“Maybe another time, Danny. I don’t feel like being in a crowded place now.” Derek said, then he turned over to Stiles, “It was nice catching up with you. See you around.”

Danny shrugged, as if he expected the refusal. Derek paid him and waved goodbye to Stiles before he left.

He sat there for a few seconds, thinking about the ‘see you around’. He was sure he wasn’t going to see Derek around, not unless he staked his mother’s grave every day for maybe months.

He gulped, tightening his grip on the almost-empty glass and then got up and ran after him.

He hasn’t gotten that far, but Stiles had to run a little to catch up with him, “Derek!”

Derek stopped and turned around, he knitted his eyebrows in surprise, then stared expectantly at Stiles, “Hey.”

“I was wondering, since you had nowhere important to go, if you’d like to catch a movie with me? I’d…I’d really like that.” He inhaled, feeling the rejection coming and bracing himself.

“Oh.” Derek said, his thick eyebrows crouching, “Okay.”

“Yeah?” Stiles asked, a huge smile taking over his face, and Derek mirrored with a smaller one, repeating, “Yeah.”

Stiles didn’t know how, it was probably the bravery of not getting rejected, but he held on Derek’s arm like a child and pulled him to walk faster.

“This is gonna be great.” He promised, he wasn’t going to talk about high school anymore, and he’ll fix it if anything else happened, at least that’s what he chose to believe in the heat of the moment.

Derek apparently walked from his place to the graveyard, shoving how big and strong and fit he was in Stiles’ face, which was why they took Stiles’ car to the movies.

Stiles insisted on smuggling candies; hiding them in the inner pockets of his flannel, all while Derek was shaking his head, but he looked amused enough to not make Stiles feel uncomfortably judged.

Stiles had all but bounced when he saw the movies that were being played, he wanted to watch all of them. Suicide Squad had already started an hour ago, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to watch it for the first time missing a whole hour of it.

Star Trek Beyond was in half an hour, and Stiles didn’t really want to wait that long. But the closest movie was Bad Moms, which Stiles thought was ironic; given that both he and Derek had both lost theirs. He didn’t mind, but he wasn’t sure where Derek stood on that.

“What do you think?” he asked.

Derek brushed their fingers together, probably without meaning to, but it made Stiles’ heart flutter nonetheless, “Well… I really want to watch Beyond. I’ve been looking forward to it, but I don’t know. Do you mind waiting around for half an hour?”

“Well, that depends.”

Derek arched an eyebrow at him.

“Will you entertain me?” Stiles smirked, licking his lips.

Derek laughed, rubbing the nape of his neck, “I don’t know, I’m not known for being a great entertainer, that’s one thing for sure.”

“Oh relax,” Stiles patted his shoulder, “You’re plenty entertaining. Let’s just go get tickets.”

Time passed fast, faster than Stiles would’ve liked. He was talking, for the most part, but he enjoyed Derek, his reactions, even his judging eyebrows. Not that he didn’t enjoy listening to him, Derek was actually quirky; he had a weird sense of humor that Stiles appreciated.

They also discussed Star Wars and Star Trek passionately, which improved Stiles’ day significantly. It was nice too because when the time came, they both watched the movie with a religious silence and concentration, except for when Stiles would hand Derek some of his smuggled goods.

For a good ten minutes, Derek’s hand was brushing against his, and he knew for sure that Derek had noticed. That simple gesture made him smile goofily, eyes fixed on the screen and heart singing.

He felt the absence of it as soon as Derek pulled it away.

He felt a little hurt, until he realized that Derek was checking his phone. He didn’t mean to spy, but he glimpsed a chat on the screen, it was Erica, he guessed, because she was telling him that she was packing her stuff.

Stiles noticed the expression on Derek’s face, it was clearly annoying him, yet he texted her back with a cheerful message.

And that was when Stiles stopped himself from spying on other people’s phones and tried to redirect his focus back to the movie.

Trying being the key word.

Stiles couldn’t stop himself from thinking about the expression on Derek’s face. Top three guesses were: hurt, sad, and/or betrayed.

Maybe Stiles was reading too much into it, he needed to distract himself in this depressing week, after all, but the possibility that he could be right was there, and it pressed hard on him for some reason.

He missed some important scenes of the movie, and he was already making plans to come back again and watch it with Scott as he and Derek walked out of the theatre, maybe spoil a few scenes if Scott wasn’t behaving according to Stiles’ wishes.

It dawned on him that this was it, his time with Derek was ending and he still hasn’t figured out how he was feeling, and also, Stiles really didn’t want to part ways.

But they’ve been to a bar and a movie already; there was nowhere else to go.

“So,” he started, wetting his lips nervously, “I couldn’t help but notice, you were texting someone and you looked really upset, are you okay?”

Derek looked like he was going to ignore the question, pretend that he somehow didn’t hear it, but he shrugged a moment later, “Yeah, Erica says Boyd’s spending the night to help her pack up. I just… I don’t know.”

Stiles didn’t say anything, hoping his silence would push Derek to talk more. “We moved into the apartment together. I just can’t see her boxing her stuff and moving out. I just thought, seeing that this is our last page in our lives together, she’d want to spend it with me, but she invited her fiancé instead.” He snorted, spreading his arms wide in frustration, “I mean, she’s literally going to live with the guy for the rest of her life!”

“Well,” Stiles started, bouncing slightly on his feet, “It’s her first page together with him, at least in this chapter. And it’s also not her last page with you in your final chapter, you know?”

Derek shook his head, and Stiles reached out and grasped his forearm, “Listen, I’m not saying it’s not okay that you’re upset. I’m just saying, maybe don’t look at it from that angle, she probably didn’t want to burden you with helping her move out, it’s enough she’s leaving you alone, right?” he said, fishing for a smile from Derek, and he got a small one.

Stiles stepped forward, leaning more into Derek’s personal space, but he looked down on the floor, “Maybe,” he stretched the word out, then looked up, “You should come back to my place.”

Derek looked at him, he was so close, Stiles could count his eyelashes, and he gulped, “I mean, you won’t have to see them boxing and leaving, and I’m…having an emotional day; so it’s a win-win?” he said like he wasn’t so sure.

Derek’s face softened, he seemed to be considering it, and then he nodded, “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

It took a lot of effort to not just throw a victorious fist bump into the air right there and now, yet no one will ever know the bravery Stiles endured to act like a normal human being.

He was taking Derek Hale home, and weirdly enough, not in a very sexual way. The possibility was clearly still there, but would it be right seeing that they were both in a vulnerable state?

Maybe that was exactly why it would be right. Or maybe it wouldn’t be sexual at all, probably.

They stopped on the way back to get some food, burgers and fries, and the smell wafting in the car air was so good that even though Stiles wasn’t really hungry, he couldn’t wait to get home and stuff the food into his mouth.

“This isn’t weird, right?” Stiles asked as he opened up his apartment's door. “I mean, in the sense that first day friendships don’t usually end up in sleepovers when you’re older than six.”

Derek smiled, “it probably is weird, but I don’t feel that way.”

“Me neither!” Stiles was quick to reassure, he put the bags of food on the table and threw his body on his sofa, sighing.

Derek followed suit, placing a bag on the table and sitting on the chair right from Stiles, “This whole day’s been weird, if we’re being honest.”

“Yeah…” Stiles thought that indeed people didn’t usually eavesdrop on people’s private conversations with their dead relatives.

Derek’s eyes looked around the apartment.

Stiles was thankful that it looked neat, the TV was by the wall, and across from it the sofa, and behind them was an open counter to the kitchen, and to the left he could see two doors, a bathroom and a bedroom. The place wasn’t overly decorated, it was kinda empty, except for some framed pictures on the shelves. One in particular seemed to have caught Derek’s eye, it was of his parents when they were young.

The smell of food grew stronger as Stiles started unwrapping his burger, his eyes bright as he took his first bite, talking around a mouthful, “Soo good.”

“That’s what you said when you ate the popcorn too.” Derek noted.

“It was so buttery!” Stiles exclaimed, “I don’t get to eat like that when I go with my dad, because he needs to watch himself and I can’t just tempt him heartlessly.”

“So considerate.” Derek said, sarcasm clear in his voice.

“Make fun of me all you like, but I worked hard to plant fear in my father’s heart.”

“Fear?”

“I tried encouragement and all sorts of motivation. Nothing worked! So now I just use fear to control his diet. Melissa, his wife, helps too!”

Derek laughed at that, “He’s lucky to have you.”

Stiles beamed at that, he shifted in his place, looking for the remote and turned the TV on, “Wanna watch something?”

Derek looked at the Netflix logo for a few seconds before suggesting “how about Parks and Rec?”

“Oh my god! Yes!” Stiles almost jumped with excitement, “this is what I call quality fucking time!”

Stiles didn’t think that watching his favorite sitcom could get any better, but with the commentary Derek and him both provided, it was pretty easy to change his mind.

It was almost overwhelming how this day had started and how it turned out to be.

He really did have fun with Derek, normally Stiles didn’t have much fun on first date, they were usually awkward, and he wasn’t sure he was breaking that pattern today, because this was not a date. No matter how much he wanted it to be.

It was ridiculous that he thought of it this way when Derek mostly hung out with him because they were both a mess in this specific day. He could tell that it was all a delusion and he wasn’t even sure that he’d want to pursue it if it wasn’t; because connection so easily formed and felt like this didn’t come around that often.

Friendships lasted longer. Why risk it?

The thoughts didn’t come back to him until a few episodes later. Derek had changed his place to sit next to him and cover up under the same blanket, he was comfortably stretched, his feet on Stiles’ thighs, shaking every time something funny happened or either one of them uttered an idiotic comment.

Stiles noticed that Derek went quiet for a while, but wasn’t sure that was something he should be worried about.

“Do you remember,” Derek started, intertwining his fingers nervously, “back in high school, we had a talk?”

“Yeah?” Stiles said, encouraging.

“No. Do you remember?” Derek said in something that sounded like annoyance.

“No.” Stiles said, biting at his lip, “please don’t be upset, it’s nothing personal. I mean, I wish I remember, I really do. Is it about the song you mentioned earlier?”

“Yeah…” Derek said and untangled his fingers to rub at the back of his head, “yeah, it’s about that. I… I thought you’d remember. But I understand now that it was stupid, it probably meant nothing to you.” He sighed, shrugging, “it meant a great deal to me though.”

“What was it? The song?” Stiles asked, and he pressed his fingers on Derek’s feet that were on his lap.

“The Best Day.” Derek said.

“Oh…”

It hit him all at once, like a river of memories that had been firmly held back by a dam. But all he could say at that was another, “Oh.”

Derek looked at him with concern, so he waved him off with a hand while pressing gently on his foot with the other. “I just remembered. That’s funny,”

Derek knitted his eyebrows, questioning.

“It’s funny because, I think the song triggered the memory. Like a movie soundtrack.” He couldn’t resist pulling his phone and searching for the song, he pressed play after pausing the running sitcom that was being long ignored.

And then the other wave hit him, the not-so-Derek-related wave. His heart pounded loudly in his chest for some reason as he replayed that moment in his head. All the emotions the song had unraveled in him the first time he listened to it were at him again, clutching at every memory he once had with his mother.

He couldn’t understand how he forgot this. He listened to the song religiously for months after Derek had introduced him to it.

 

_And I had the best days with you_

_There is a video I found from back when I was three_

_You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you’re talking to me_

_It’s the age of princess and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs_

_Daddy’s smart, and you’re the prettiest lady in the whole wide world_

 

“ _You’re the prettiest lady in the whole wide world_ ,” Derek said, looking expectantly at Stiles, “you said this line when you first heard it.”

“It does really hit you, huh?” he clutched a little too tight on Derek’s leg.

“You know, after we had that conversation. I had a change of heart.”

“Are you saying that I changed your life, Derek Hale?” Stiles said, mouth wide open and eyes gleaming with mischief.

“I wouldn’t put it exactly that way.” Derek said, and Stiles squinted at him, smirking and leaning his head to the side. “Alright, maybe.” he snorted.

“Over the course of a few months, I guess. You were right, it was stupid of me to just shut everyone out. I hurt Peter, and I lost a lot of friends. But I think I couldn’t have done it any other way. I needed time to lick my wounds. I just didn’t realize when that time took longer than it should have.”

Stiles smiled warmly at him, and he could’ve swore he saw a faint blush on Derek’s face.

“All these years, I’ve been wanting to tell you, thank you.” his voice faltered.

“Derek—“ Stiles said, feeling his heart swell with emotions.

“Please,” Derek interrupted, “back then, no one would even talk to me, it was like I had the plaque. Erica was consistent enough in helping me with classes, but she was never really able to break the awkwardness. No one wanted to acknowledge the elephant in the room, well, on my back, to be more precise, but I know it wasn’t people’s fault, I’ve kinda constructed it to be that way. But you…” Derek chuckled, “You just went right ahead and slapped that elephant in the ass.”

Stiles laughed, and Derek pulled his feet off Stiles and hugged his legs, “If it weren’t for you, Erica and I would’ve never got to be friends. I would’ve missed out on the best bond I’ve ever had since my family if it weren’t for you.”

Stiles scrambled for words in his head, but there were none, for once, he was at loss of words. He was so overwhelmed, in the best way possible.

“I know it probably was just a simple talk to you, but it wasn’t like that at all for me. It made a difference in my life, and for that… well, thank you, Stiles.”

“I regret a lot of things that happened in high school, it was my dark age.” Stiles told him, smiling widely “but if that’s something I’ve done, then I would never change any of it.”

Derek attempted a half smile, shrugging “I crushed on you after that talk for a while.”

“What?” Stiles practically yelled, the smile falling from his face “You? Derek Hale? Had a crush on me?” he laughed, like the whole concept was too alien for him to fathom, “no fucking way!”

“Yes way.” Derek assured, “You, Stiles Stilinski, kinda changed my life.” He mimicked Stiles’ unbelieving tone.

“That’s so good to know.” Stiles gaped at him, feeling his heart starting to race, “I wish my high school self knew that, it would’ve done a lot for my self-esteem.”

“That’s all my feelings matter to you?” Derek accused him teasingly.

“Of course not!” he slammed a fist over the sofa and shifted closer, “I would’ve probably dated the fuck out of you.”

“Oh yeah?” Derek asked, leaning a bit and looking him in the eyes.

And shit, if Stiles would’ve dated the fuck out of high school Derek, what did the man expect him to do with the Greek god one? It should be implied that being just a few inches away from Stiles’ face was dangerous and risky.

But he was there, and he said he liked Stiles back then when he was scrawny and stupid and probably even sillier than he was now, so who was to say that Derek didn’t know exactly what he was doing bringing his gorgeous chiseled face this close to Stiles and his lips.

It was a take it or leave it moment, and Stiles’ brain seemed to abandon the first option completely as he felt himself leaning closer, heart pounding at the sight of Derek closing his eyes in anticipation.

Stiles kissed him gently, and Derek kissed back. It was warm and intimate; like the atmosphere they’d just shared. Derek’s lips were earnest but slow, and he applied the perfect amount of pressure that made Stiles want to curse under his breath, but he didn’t because he didn’t want Derek’s lips to leave his. He clung to Derek’s chest, bringing himself closer and driving the kiss deeper.

It was Derek who broke it first, leaving them both breathless. Stiles’ eyes lingered on his lips, and Derek rewarded him with another, short and chaste kiss.

He wanted another kiss, he wanted all the kisses, but from where he was sitting, evidently too close to Derek, the man didn’t share the sentiment.

That stung.

He shifted back a little, clearing his throat and trying to mask the awkwardness and hurt he was feeling, “would you like some water?” he said as he stood up, heading to the kitchen’s open area.

It seemed like it took Derek’s brain a few seconds to register what he had said, he ran his fingers through his hair and he croaked a “yes, thank you.”

Stiles put the water glass on the coffee table, it thunked loudly and he flinched at the result of his own action, then he hurriedly headed to his bedroom, feeling Derek’s gaze on his back.

He closed his door and started pacing anxiously, muttering fuck, fuck, fuck.

What was he going to do now? Has he ruined everything yet? Probably.

It seemed like Derek liked the kiss, mostly wanted it, too. But it was most likely just a heat of the moment thing and Stiles should’ve known better than to dive right in. Derek must’ve felt the pressure to try and get it with his high school crush; just to know what he’d missed out on. Probably not much. He pulled on his hair in frustration.

But maybe, just maybe, Derek would pretend the kiss never happened and continue being friends with Stiles? Because they bonded, that should mean something.

He let out a loud breath and opened his closet, pulling out two pillows and trying for a neutral expression before finally getting back to Derek, who was sitting uncomfortably in the couch with his legs crossed.

“Sorry, I was just trying to remember which pillows Scott swore to murder me for, if I let anyone else but him use.” He handed them over to Derek, “he crashes here a lot.”

Derek nodded understandably, “Thank you.”

Stiles forced a smile and flailed his hands, “anyway, we should get to sleep. If you need anything, please feel at home.”

Derek had started arranging the pillows under him, he looked up thoughtfully, like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. “Goodnight.” he said instead.

“Alright, goodnight buddy.” Stiles said, punching his open palm and heading to his room; thankful at least to be escaping the prevailing awkwardness.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Derek felt a buzz under him, and as he shifted around uncomfortably trying to find his annoying phone, it dawned in him that he wasn’t in his bed.

He opened his eyes and looked around before letting out a breath, and continued to look for his phone until he found it, Erica was calling.

“Mornin’.” He attempted to say.

Somehow Erica decoded it, “Morning, sunshine.” She said in a cheerful note, and Derek couldn’t understand how she sounded so happy this early in the morning.

“The hell…” he groaned, turning over on his back, “what do you want?”

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Erica laughed, “or not in their bed at all. Bomb sex?”

“Yeah, yeah... I slept over at a friend’s. I didn’t hook up.”

“Why didn’t you come back home?” Erica asked accusingly.

“I was too drunk to drive and so I just crashed, it’s too early for this conversation Erica, please just let me get back to sleep.”

“Okay love,” Erica said, “I wanted to tell you that I just moved out the last box. It would’ve been nice if you were here to say goodbye.”

Derek closed his eyes shut, he didn’t know what to say and he didn’t think that coming up with an answer just a few seconds after waking up would do him any good.

“Also, it isn’t early, it’s two in the afternoon. Get off your lazy ass.”

Derek gaped at the air, “shit. We slept really late. I’ll call you later, okay? Love you.”

“Love you too.” she sounded amused.

Derek looked at the time on his phone and let out a long groan. He stretched his body, feeling sore all over; Stiles’ couch wasn’t so kind to him.

He sat up, looking at Stiles’ bedroom and he found its door open, so Stiles must’ve woken up, but he was nowhere to be seen. Derek felt his heart twist; realizing that Stiles must’ve left already.

He forced himself up and headed to the bathroom to wash his face. He hoped desperately to wash all the ideas that roamed through his head too, but he didn’t succeed.

He was finally able to spend the night with a person he crushed on for over three years, a person he realized still liked all these years later, and what did he do? Kiss him.

Fuck.

It was so stupid of him to freak out like that, but he got scared, scared of rejection because if Stiles pushed him away on that specific day, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to take it. It wasn’t fair either to just overwhelm Stiles like that, telling him he somehow changed his life, was a hero to him, and that he crushed on him. All of that factored on why Stiles would allow such a moment to happen, he probably felt like he owed Derek after all that he had said.

Derek didn’t want a moment like that to happen just because Stiles felt pressured, be it out of pity or at the heat of the moment that was realizing he played a huge part in changing a person’s life to the better.

It might have been a ridiculous notion. But Derek freaked out when all of these thoughts rushed into his head. And it wasn’t like Stiles objected when Derek pulled away. He tried getting out of there as fast as he could, like he’d have been stung. And that reassured Derek that he made the right choice stopping.

He went back to the sofa and fished for his phone, he almost began typing a text to Stiles when he realized that he didn’t even have the man’s number. He grunted in agony, burying his head in Stiles’ sofa.

So what now? What would happen after he left?

He met Stiles by accident, after all these years, he couldn’t just let it go that easily.

He punched the sofa repeatedly, blaming himself for not asking Stiles for his number yesterday, because now things got awkward. Sure, he could leave a note with his number on it, but Stiles probably lost all interest after the kiss. After all, he probably thought they’ve crossed the friendship line now.

It was stupid, and it was pathetic, but it was all Derek could think of to save this fragile bond he’d built over the last day in person, and in his head for years.

He forced himself to go back to sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The sound of bags shuffling disturbed his sleep, he opened his eyes slowly and blinked a few times. The smell of baked goods penetrated his brain, waking him up and he felt his stomach growl. Thankfully it wasn’t loud enough for anyone else to hear.

He sat up, and Stiles was at the counter of his kitchen. He smiled brightly once he saw him, “Rise and shine! It’s two o’clock buddy.”

Derek looked at his phone, less than half an hour had passed and he couldn’t help hide the smile that stretched on his face, “evening?” he said in what was more of a question.

“Evening, did you sleep well?” Stiles asked as he arranged two OJ glasses on the counter.

“Fine, yeah. Thanks.”

“Anytime! Why don’t you go wash up and come join me for a lazy brunch? I got it especially from a bakery that isn’t really that close. Come on.” He encouraged, and really, he didn’t need to.

The delicious smell was wafting through Derek’s nose and urging him, and he couldn’t help but feel a little bit of joy at the idea that Stiles had put effort into wanting him to enjoy his food, going out of his way to a faraway bakery.

They were eating in a blissful silence for a few minutes before Stiles decided to ask, “Did you think of a housewarming gift for Erica yet?”

“Not really,” Derek said around a mouthful of a strawberry tart, “I have no idea what to get her. What do people even usually buy? She usually demands high end clothes.”

“That doesn’t really fit with the whole housewarming theme.” Stiles said, wiping at the corner of his mouth.

“You think?” Derek snorted.

“Okay, no need to be mean, I was just trying to be helpful!” Stiles protested.

Derek had to stare at him for a second to figure out if Stiles really thought he was being mean, because he definitely didn’t mean it that way, but then Stiles pressed his lips together and raised his index, “I got an idea! Why don’t we go shopping for the gift together? I’m pretty sure we’ll find something good!”

It was all Derek could do not to yell a victorious yes, because this implied spending more time with Stiles. Too much time, some would argue.

“Unless… that’s something you don’t want?” Stiles said reluctantly, knitting his eyebrows together.

“No, no, I’d love to!” Derek assured quickly, “I just hope that isn’t too much trouble.”

“What are you talking about, I wouldn’t have offered if it was any trouble.” Stiles offered him a smile, waving him off.

Derek wanted nothing more but to be able to see that smile for as long as he could. It scared him how much passion just seeing Stiles has reignited in him, but it excited him all the same.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Derek felt like the universe had decided to be so kind with him today for some reason. He had a great time with Stiles, they’ve had more fun together than he thought was possible. He never thought people could look this happy and full of joy around him, and to see Stiles out of all people enjoy spending time with him this much; it drowned him in happiness.

He was buzzing with excitement, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he waited on the street for his uber.

On his side laid a huge bag, a microwave for Erica and Boyd, it was so adult like but Stiles made it seem less so by pointing out that no watching of movies would happen if they can’t pop their goddamn corn in it.

When his uber finally arrived, he placed the gigantic bag carefully in the backseat and got in, he closed the door after saying a polite and cheerful hello to his driver, and at that exact moment his expression fell.

He realized he missed out on something very important, and his heart sank.

Stiles’ number.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“You realize you’re supposed to actually taste it?”

Tasting was the last thing on Derek’s mind, he just wanted to drink and forget how much of an idiot he was. Fucking idiot that he was had countless opportunities to ask Stiles for his number, but did he gather up enough courage to do it? Fucking no.

“Okay but this is really a good wine, if you’re just gonna swallow it all at once please leave it to us and we’ll get you some beer.” Boyd said, siding with his fiancée.

Derek threw his head back and buried his face in his hands, letting out a groan.

“Come on, it can’t be that bad. Why don’t you drop by his house?” Erica suggested, shrugging and shaking her glass lightly.

“Oh yes, definitely!” Derek said bitingly, “Just drop by like a fucking creep on someone’s house! It’s 2016! And there was probably a reason why he didn’t give me his number.”

“Because you didn’t ask him for it?” Boyd offered.

“Okay, yes, that.” Derek said, “But also, if he wanted it he would’ve asked. Why does it have to be because I didn’t ask?”

“Maybe he just forgot!”

“Right!” Derek laughed in bitterness.

“You forgot! Why can’t he?” Erica said in a high pitched voice, like she couldn’t believe his thought process.

“No,” Derek said pointedly, “I did not forget. I wanted to ask him, it just… every time I thought it was wrong timing. He kept talking about stuff, and I didn’t want to interrupt him. But eventually, yes, I forgot.” He took a small sip this time from his glass, “but it’s not the same.” He added quickly in defense.

Erica let out a long sigh as she stared at him judgingly, “I just hope you realize that you’re being fucking stupid.”

“Thank you, yes I do.”

He finished his glass and then pushed it away, it slid on the brand-new table and Erica caught it easily. “Another?”

“I think a beer would be better.” He said, pointing at Boyd because he was right, it was such a waste to just gulp their expensive bottle.

Boyd shook his head disapprovingly, but he headed to the fridge to fetch him the beer nonetheless.

Derek was fully aware that drinking the pain away was a shitty method. He just couldn’t really care at the moment. Plus, he was sure that with his friends around him, he would be stopped soon enough.

He hated that he was wallowing in sadness like he ended a years-long relationship. He knew it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but he couldn’t kill the little voice inside of him that told him that Stiles was special. He would’ve had a great life, or at least an adventure with him, but now even that had died in its birth.

And even though he knew Stiles’ address, he was fully aware of how creepy the mere idea sounded. There was no way he would try to start a relationship, or even a friendship in such way. Boyd and Erica would argue with his logic, but he felt like he was left stranded; he was out of moves and it ate him, like maybe Stiles didn’t really want for this to continue, or else he would’ve asked for his number. It sounded a little ridiculous when he replayed the day they’ve had, but could he really be sure?

“Dude, he asked you to sleep over and took you shopping for a fucking microwave, he seriously likes you, alright?” he felt Erica’s gentle fingers mess his hair, “Come on, cheer up babe.”

Derek held her hand and sighed, feeling utterly miserable “I really liked him, too.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Regret. Such a sad word.

Stiles kept contemplating it, cutting it into syllables and sighing loudly. Because nothing else worked.

He googled Derek Hale, all he got was his family’s company website, and the only number there was their main office. He tried calling them but they refused to give him any information or to even deliver a message to Derek. The whole thing was pathetically desperate, but Stiles didn’t really care, because goddammit if he didn’t want to take Derek Hale on a fucking date.

It was only after he arrived home that he realized that he didn’t have Derek’s phone number. And ever since then he’s been investigating him viciously with little to no results.

He bit at his fist repeatedly as he tugged at his hair, like the movement was going to bear fruit in some magical solution. And maybe it did, because an idea hit him fast and before he could even process it, he picked up his keys and left the apartment.

The car-trip wasn’t really that long, but it was long enough for Stiles to imagine so many scenarios, most of them ending with him and Derek Hale in white suits.

It was ridiculous and nerve wrecking.

Danny was sitting behind the bar when he walked in, he acknowledged him with an arched eyebrow and Stiles walked to him enthusiastically. True, it was rude to ask someone for the number of the person they liked, but Stiles felt less empathetic and more self-entitled at that moment.

“Hey there, didn’t expect you back so soon.” Danny greeted.

“Um, hey. Yeah. Me neither.” Stiles said awkwardly, and flailed with his hand, “okay, so, this might sound a little stupid, but I need you to give me Derek’s number.”

Danny squinted at him like his whole existence was a joke.

“What?”

“Don’t think I didn’t see the end of your little date yesterday. He walked out on you.” Danny said, wiping at the bar “For a reason.” He added pointedly.

“Okay, no.” Stiles raised a finger, gaping at the accusation in indignation. “That was not a date, and he did not walk out on me. Alright?!”

“Whatever you say.” Danny sneered at him.

Stiles rubbed at his head with both hands, trying to calm himself, “I understand that you’re not trying to be an ass.”

“Oh no, I am. By all means.” Danny offered him a fake smile as he clanked a glass on the bar in the bitchiest manner.

“Okay,” Stiles clapped his hands, resting them on his chin and nose, “let me finish, I understand that you’re not trying to be an ass for no reason. You think I’m stalking your friend and he doesn’t want anything to do with me. But that’s not the case, alright? Our date didn’t end badly. He even spent the night at my place!”

“Honey,” Danny started, an empathetic smile stretching on his face, “that’s called a one night stand. One night, a single one may I add, being the keyword.”

“Fuck.” Stiles muttered, turning his back on Danny and pressing his back to the bar, he tried to convince himself that throwing a tantrum at Danny would in no way benefit him, no matter how he looked at it.

He stayed like that for a few seconds until he felt himself calming down a bit, he then turned back around to see that Danny was serving a customer on the other end of the table. He walked there, and he could see Danny’s expression turn at his appearance.

“Listen, we seriously just forgot to exchange numbers. This probably sounds desperate, but please, we really had fun.”

Danny shook his head, mostly to himself, exasperated.

“Just call him, okay? Ask him if he’d mind?”

“Listen.” Danny said, finally looking him in the eye with a serious expression, “I get it, he’s a great guy, he’s nice and he’s handsome and he has the whole thing going. But this is not healthy, alright? If he wanted you to have his number, you’d have it.” He poured another glass to the customer who signaled him with a flick of his fingers, and then shrugged, “I’m not putting him in a position where he has to say yes just so he won’t be in a bad situation the next time you guys meet. Sorry but that’s a no.”

Stiles wanted to talk back, to tell Danny to go fuck himself and that Derek wanted him to give his number. But then he felt his heart heave as the idea that maybe Derek purposefully didn’t give him his number started to grow bigger and made more sense. He bit back all his bitter words and nodded at Danny, trying to keep a brave face to save whatever shreds of dignity he had left, If any.

He walked out of there with a dark expression on his face, hands pocketed in his hoodie and shoulders slumped.

It was a nice, chilly day, the sky was a light blue that contrasted beautifully with the clouds. Stiles noted as he sat lazily on a bench and stared up, yet he found it miserable that even with such a beautiful weather, he was pathetically pining over a person who probably didn’t even think about him.

His eyes kept following the clouds, taking in their shapes in an attempt to distract himself from thoughts of Derek. He thought one of the clouds looked like a guitar, and he licked his lips as the shape dragged the memory of the song Derek had introduced to him years ago. He found it kind of funny that thoughts of Derek seemed inescapable, when just yesterday he couldn’t keep himself from drowning in sadness at the memory of his mom.

His mom would’ve liked Derek.

He took out his earphones out of his pocket and plugged them before playing the song that’s been stuck in his head for a few minutes now.

 

_Now I know why all the trees change in the fall_

 

But Stiles still didn’t know why his life had to change. He didn’t know why his mother was taken away from him so early in life. But there was no knowing, no reason, and no excuse that justified such a horrible thing.

He kept listening to the song on repeat. Feeling every word stabbing at him and trying to come up with explanations to each and every line. Maybe he was making it deeper than it was originally intended, but it didn’t feel like that to him.

 

_I have an excellent father. His strength is making me stronger._

 

Derek must’ve been completely despondent after the fire. He didn’t only lose his mother, he lost his father and the rest of his family, too. At least Stiles had his father, he didn’t think he would’ve made it without him. The thought alone was gut wrenching.

Derek went through an arduous path growing up, yet he said it was thanks to him his life took a turn for the better.

That only made him want to keep on making Derek’s life better, he wanted to be by his side, to love him and support him. But what could he possibly do when the feeling was probably not mutual? Nothing.

He wanted so badly for the darkness and pessimistic thoughts to dissipate. But it was like they’ve consumed him completely. He hoped that this was a fleeting crush, because if his emotions kept gnashing at his heart viciously like this, then he was in for a very heartbreaking, tragic journey.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

No matter what anyone said, Derek was definitely visiting his mother’s grave to talk to her. It wasn’t because he remembered it was a particular person’s mother’s death anniversary.

He stood there in front of his mother’s tombstone, feeling like he was holding his tattered heart in his hands, like he was naked.

Shame washed through him; he shouldn’t be visiting his mother just to stage a meeting with someone. This was sacred.

He’s been standing there for half an hour, and the whole notion was starting to appear crazier and crazier with every passing second. Even if Stiles showed up, was it really a good time to go up and ask for his number, on his mother’s death anniversary?

What the hell was going through Derek’s head leading him to think this was an acceptable idea? It was all the ugly desperation’s fault, because this was definitely not an okay day to be a stubborn fuck.

Another half an hour passed, and he was growing even more anxious.

By now he’s read every inscription on all the tombstones that were in his view. Some of them had flowers of different kinds and colors, others seemed abandoned, covered with dust.

The view was depressingly haunting, and it only led him to darker thoughts until he couldn’t take it anymore. His legs were starting to get sore, and his knees were in a bit of pain from all the standing. It’s probably for the best. He tried to convince himself.

He turned around to leave, giving Stiles’ mother’s grave one last look, and he froze.

Blood rushed through him as the smirking face stared right back at him.

Gulping, he let out a small awkward laugh at the sight of Stiles’ knowing face, it was all he could do to let out some of the euphoria that rushed through his system.

This time it was Stiles who took big steps to finally stand in front of him, a sheepish smile took over his face as he looked at Derek, “So…”

“So,” Derek repeated, pressing his lips together “You didn’t give me your number.”

“YOU didn’t give me your number!” Stiles exclaimed in frustration, “Seriously, what the hell?”

“What?” Derek asked, eyebrows knitted.

“You know my house!” Stiles jabbed a finger at Derek’s chest, “I couldn’t find you anywhere! I even went to the bar, but Danny wouldn’t give me your number! He thought I was a crazy stalker or something!”

Derek felt heat rise in his cheeks as he laughed and he brought a hand up to cover his face.

“Very funny.” Stiles pouted, and it was the cutest thing.

“I’m sorry.” Derek chuckled, and he pulled Stiles in, grabbing him by the collar to lock their lips together.

It was an uncalculated move, one that Derek had told himself he’d never do if he got to see Stiles again, but he failed to take into account the feelings that overwhelmed him once his eyes fell onto Stiles’ adorable face.

Stiles’ lips were out of this world.

Derek brought his free hand up, placing it on Stiles heart; finding satisfaction in the sensation of its pounding against his fingers, its loudness competed with his own, and then Stiles arm was around his waist, pulling him closer until their bodies were flushed against each other.

Derek felt Stiles’ other hand grabbing around, searching until he got his phone out of his pocket and whispered between kisses, “give me that damn number.”

Derek laughed, bliss running through his veins as he broke the kiss and took Stiles’ phone right away.

Because after all, this was evidently a serious concern that shouldn’t be postponed for anything else. He pressed the digits and then handed the phone back to Stiles, smiling. “For the record, I did want to come to your place. But that would’ve been way too creepy.”

“It probably would’ve.” Stiles admitted, smiling, “but I wouldn’t have minded.”

Stiles looked between his own mother’s tombstone and Derek’s, then pulled Derek by the hand, “let’s get out of here, we’ve disrespected our mothers enough for a day.”

Derek followed, pressing lightly on Stiles’ knuckles, but then Stiles turned around and looked at him, “Does it make you feel better?”

Derek looked at him with raised eyebrows, waiting for elaboration.

“Talking to your mom. Does it help?” Stiles asked, bringing his free hand to the back of his neck and rubbing at it absentmindedly.

“I suppose…” Derek said, he didn’t really expect this question, “I’ve always just… done it. I don’t know if starting to do it would make you feel better. But it’s something that I’ve done regularly.” He licked his bottom lip before biting on it and shrugging.

Stiles’ eyes lit with something that looked like determination, and he pulled Derek’s hand to the opposite direction until they stood in front of his mother’s grave.

Derek stood beside him and looked at him nervously, the silence and their hands held together made him a little bit uneasy.

“Hey, mom.” Stiles said, shifting on his heels.

His nervousness was rolling off him in waves that Derek could feel, he stroked his thumb lightly over the back of Stiles’ hand in encouragement, “Um, this is awkward. Who else but me manages to have awkward conversations with their dead mother?”

And maybe this was not going the way Derek had imagined it would go, he held back a smile, but he kept stroking Stiles’ hand anyway.

“Well, I just want you to know that I’m good. I’m doing okay. I’ve grown up fine, well, for the most part.” He threw his free hand in the air, shrugging. “Dad’s been the best, and, um… turns out I like boys.” He laughed, wrinkling his nose and raising the hand Derek was holding, like he was proving it.

“I really like this boy…” he said, biting his bottom lip.

Derek felt a blissful buzz run through him, he indulged the idea that maybe it was Stiles’ mom’s approval, although he knew it was only his body reacting juvenilely to hearing the person he liked say these words. Yet he liked the first explanation better.

“We’ve just met. But I’m doing this because I feel… I feel like—“

“There’s a connection.” Derek offered, and Stiles smiled at him, nodding.

“And I’ve always been so sad this time of year… I’ve always closed myself and cried, I miss you. I really, really, miss you, mom.” His voice trembled and he swallowed “But this year, well it wasn’t as bad. Derek’s been a great help. I feel like he kept not giving me his phone number for a reason.” He pressed on Derek’s hand, firmly this time. “Maybe so I won’t focus my all on you.”

It was easy for Derek to understand what Stiles wanted to say, as ineffectual as his words were, mostly because he felt it himself too.

Stiles wanted to move on, to leave behind this sadness that clutched tightly on him and refused to let go. Derek didn’t remember how he forced it away, it was still there. And he knew that it was something that would never leave him, not completely.

“I don’t know how to do this.” Stiles finally said, letting out a loud sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “How do you do it?”

Derek pressed his lips together, considering his answer, “Well, I just talk to her about what’s going on with me. Doesn’t matter if I’m miserable or happy, just saying it out loud sometimes helps. And you know you don’t have to say it to her here, you could do it anywhere. There’s no rules when it comes to this.” He tried for a supportive smile.

Stiles hummed, his eyes appeared out of focus, “I really wanna kiss you right now.”

He was caught off guard, and he could feel heat creep up his cheeks, but he tried for a not-so-bothered expression and cleared his voice, “Maybe after you say goodbye to your mom?” he nodded at her tombstone.

A smile stretched on Stiles’ face and he licked his lips, turning back to look in front of him again.

He stared at the ground for a while, “Well. I promise I’ll be visiting again soon.”

Stiles’ hand gripped tighter on his and he was overwhelmed, with both emotions and a sense of responsibility. It was touching that Stiles introduced him to his mom when he said that he never talked to her. And although he couldn’t help but feel pressured, it paled in comparison to the fact that he felt special.

Stiles has been a special person to him for years. The idea of it being a mutual thing filled him with joy and he could feel his heart race at the thought of, yes, Stiles was willing to take such a step with him because he thought he was special, too.

Stiff leaves crunched under their feet as they walked out of the cemetery, still hand in hand, Stiles’ fingers restlessly shifting and Derek walking behind him, unable to wipe the smile off his face.

“Can we go to the bar?” Stiles turned around to look at him as they passed the gate, finally exiting. “I’d really like to rub this in Danny’s face.” He said in the most casual way.

Derek laughed, tugging on Stiles’ hand, “Yeah, sure. Don’t take it too personally though.”

“I just need him to know that I wasn’t being delusional!” Stiles exclaimed, knitting his eyebrows like that moment was playing in his mind all over again, “It was so humiliating!”

As they walked down the street, Derek pulled his hand away, in fear of it sweating; he didn’t want for an awkward atmosphere to rule over them again.

“So was that our first date, or should we have a first date?” Stiles wondered.

Derek shrugged and pocketed his hands, “Yeah, I think it was.”

Stiles seemed to think about it for a second “Hey, even if we both didn’t know it was a date. It still was _the best day_.” He said playfully and watched Derek’s expression change slowly as he linked his words to the song in amazement and laughed, “You’re really something.

They walked into the bar, and Danny’s expression screamed an amused _are you fucking kidding me_ as soon as his eyes fell on them, Derek couldn’t hold back a laugh.

They sat on the same table they’ve had before, Danny came with their drinks a few minutes later, and it seemed like Stiles couldn’t stop smirking at him.

“Alright, we get it.” Danny sighed, throwing his hands in the air, “You can’t blame me though, your story wasn’t convincing at all!”

“Well, now you know that you should believe me in the future.”

“How’d you find him anyway?” Danny asked, wiping his hands on his pants.

“That’s a little bit depressing,” Stiles said, pulling his beer towards him, “maybe we’ll tell you later, Danny boy.”

“You’re planning on hanging around, huh?” Danny smirked at them, like he meant to put them in an awkward position, but Derek felt himself shrug as he said, “Well, that’s the plan.”

Danny’s eyes widened at him before he puckered his lips and walked away, declaring himself irresponsible for whatever fuck up they bring on themselves.

But Derek couldn’t bring himself to care, Danny probably was right to worry about such certainty that took only three days to develop, but Danny also wasn’t there with them, he didn’t feel their chemistry or their connection.

It looked like Stiles smelled his fears, because he flashed him a confident smile, “hey, we’ll take this slowly. We’ll do it our own way.”

Derek nodded, the words managing to put out some of his unorganized worries.

Stiles scooted over to sit next to him, thighs touching, he leaned over and he whispered, “Remember something about a kiss?”

Derek turned his face to look at him, Stiles’ breath on his ear sending shivers down his spine, and Stiles was looking at him with a mischievous smile.

“Fuck.” Derek whispered, feeling the pull Stiles had on him as he leaned closer to kiss him, passionately this time. He was hungry and demanding and Derek was more than happy to oblige. The knowledge of this kiss being something they both definitely wanted fueled him and he locked his hands over Stiles’ shoulders, tugging lightly at the hair on the back of his neck and Stiles moaned into his mouth desperately. His tongue teased his own and it created the most pleasant sensation.

“Fuck.” He muttered again as Stiles pulled away, resting their foreheads together and smiling with satisfaction.

“Derek Hale, you’re an extraordinary kisser.” He breathed as his finger caressed Derek’s cheeks, and Derek felt a little proud of himself, “I don’t like you just for that though.”

“Of course you don’t,” he puffed.

“Let me take you on a date.” Stiles said, bringing his hand to Derek’s neck and stroking his chin with his thumb.

Derek pulled away just a little bit to look at Stiles, he batted his eyes and Derek couldn’t help but notice his thick eyelashes, it was a sight to behold. “You know my answer.”

“A real date!” Stiles demanded, “Where we both know it’s a date. Where we get to ask each other things, get to know each other. Where I want to strangle myself because I tried to flirt with you and said something so cringe worthy.”

Derek gave Stiles’ parted lips a small kiss, laughing as he let go of his neck “Yes. Yes, please.”

Stiles beamed at him, mirroring his action and releasing Derek’s face from his touch “Then let’s go on a date.”


End file.
